A baby shower can be a bit of an awkward affair if guests are unsure of what to do or if the guests don’t already know each other. You will need some easy ways to break the ice and get guests talking and laughing and enjoying themselves. The best way to do that is to have them play hilarious games, preferably with a few prizes. One of the most common questions you hear is ‘how many baby shower games should you have?’ It’s best to plan more than you will need, that way you are covered no matter what. Some shower parties take on a life of their own, but by then you won’t need to worry about keeping things going.
How Many Baby Shower Games You Should Have?
A typical baby shower lasts about 3 hours, so you can expect to play about 5 games at most. You will want to have enough games to keep everyone occupied but not so many that you are rushing people through each game.
There are various types of baby shower games you can go for including ice breakers, funny games, adult games, word games, diaper games, and many more. As the event planner, you should have at least 5 games lined up.
We shall list five of the most popular baby shower games, but make sure you enlist the help of a few friends because some of these require a bit of preparation.
Icebreaker Games
Icebreaker games are perfect to play at the beginning of the baby shower when guests have just arrived and are nit really interesting together. This is especially necessary when you have a group of guest that may not know each other already. You want to make sure that everyone is involved and that the guests don’t segregate into smaller groups of people who are friends already and some people are left out. These games are designed to get guests taking and mingling with everyone attending the baby shower.
1. Guess Who
What you’ll need:
- A photo of each guest as a baby
- Two-sided tape or pins
- Numbered blank lists
- Sharpie
- Pens
How to play:
When sending out the baby shower invitations ask each guest to bring a baby photo of themselves along to the baby shower. As they arrive at the party, take each photo and number it, then pin or tape it to a wall. Distribute a numbered list to each guest and have them name each of the photos with the corresponding names. If everyone doesn't know each other have them wear name badges to make it easier.
2. Don’t Say Baby
What You’ll Need:
- 5 clothespins or diaper pins for each guest
How to Play:
As the guests arrive, pin five diaper pins on them and warn them not to say the word ‘baby’ for the duration of the party. The guests should be on the lookout for those who do and take one pin from them. In the end, the one with the most pins wins.
3. What Am I?
What you’ll need:
- Index cards
- Pen
- Safety pins
How to Play:
For each guest, write a baby item on an index card. These include pacifier, diaper, wrapping blanket, and other baby gifts. Pin a card to each guest as they come in but don’t let them know what’s on the card. To guess what’s on it, they will have to talk to other guests who will give them hints. If they get it correct, they can have it removed.
Funny Games
Once you have had fun with some icebreakers and everyone is feeling a bit more relaxed it’s time to step it up a notch and get a little silly. At this point in the shower people should be feeling more at ease with one another, probably learned some new names and maybe even had a drink or two. These games will have your guests out of their comfort zones and laughing and having fun in no time at all.
4. Birthing Babies/Ice Ice Baby
What you’ll need:
- Tiny plastic baby bought from a party or craft shop
How to play:
The day before the party, wash and sterilise the tiny babies. Freeze them in an ice cube tray with water so that they are completely frozen. When the guests arrive, hand them a glass of water or other clear drink. The babies will start to melt out, and the first person to have theirs completely free has to shout ‘my water broke!’ to win the game.
5. Diaper Notes
What you’ll need:
- Diapers
- Marker (non-toxic)
How to play:
Have each guest write a funny parenting quote on the back of a diaper then toss them all into a pile. Read them out and try to guess who wrote what quote. You can usually gauge a persons sense of humour depending on the quote they wrote. Some will choose a nice inspirational quote while others may choose an hilariously honest parenting fail type quote that will have everyone chuckling.
How many games you play at a baby shower will depend on how long it lasts. You may find that after the first game people are mingling and having fun and so not need more of the icebreaker games and move on to the funny ones. The main thing is to have an array of games planned for if you need them. At the end of the day as long as everyone has a good time is all that matters.